Morbi bridge collapse: Death toll rises to 190

The death toll in the hanging bridge collapse at Morbi in Gujarat has risen to 190, even as a criminal case has been registered.

Operations continued throughout the night to fish out bodies and rescue people from the Machhu river over which the hanging bridge was built.

The bridge collapsed around 6.30 pm on Sunday. The death toll is expected to increase as efforts are on to let the water in the river flow past.

Minister of state for home Harsh Sanghvi, who is at the accident site, confirmed that the death toll was 132, adding that two were missing.

A five-member SIT has been constituted. The team members have been asked to begin the inquiry within 24 hours.

A criminal case has been registered under sections 304, 308 and 114 against the manager of the hanging bridge and maintenance manager.

The bridge was being managed by Oreva Trust of Oreva company which is into clock making.

The over 140-year-old bridge was closed to the public for over seven months and was opened last week on Gujarati New Year's Day after repairs.

The company had reportedly not given any fitness certificate for the bridge to the civic authority in Morbi.

The NDRF and SDRF teams are being assisted by the Army in rescue operations. Efforts are on to remove the portion of the bridge from the riverbed.

Gujarat chief minister Bhupendra Patel too has arrived in Morbi. Leaders from the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party also reached Morbi on Sunday night.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was to hold a road show in Ahmedabad on Monday, has cancelled the engagement and will only take part in a function.

The ruling BJP has postponed the meeting of its party workers and supporters that was to be addressed by Modi on Tuesday.

The opposition Congress too has postponed its Parivartan Sankalp Yatra that was to begin on Monday.